The present invention relates to inserts and attachments for notebooks, workbooks, and other types of binders in which leaves or sheets of paper are loosely bound. The invention is more specifically directed to an electronic organizer, that is to a device that can be inserted into the binder to assist a person with computations, record-keeping, or the like while working with the binder. The electronic organizer can include a calculator, a small "palm-top" computer, an electronic address list, an electronic calendar and scheduler, or other similar device.
For reasons of both convenience and efficiency, it is desirable to mount the electronic organizer directly in the binder between sheets or leaves, so that it is handy and visible to the user. Also, having the electronic organizer mounted on an insert in the binder assists the user in working while traveling, and prevents misplacement of the device. For optimal utility, the electronic organizer should be rotatable from a right-side to a left-side orientation within the binder without having to remove the insert from the binder rings.
A number of combinations of a calculator or similar device with a ring binder or other host book have been proposed. Several of these have means incorporated in their inserts for rotating or flipping the electronic device, but the designs have been somewhat elaborate and cumbersome.
Several varieties of a rotatable notebook or binder insert for this purpose are described in Bianco U.S. Pat. No. 5,295,758, Bianco U.S. Pat. No. 5,232,301, and Bianco U.S. Pat. No. 5,219,239. Bianco '758 describes a rotatable binder attachment with slide action. In this concept, a calculator slides from left to right by way of grooves which are situated at the upper and lower ends of the calculator. The insert has two spaced-apart arms, one at the top and the other at the bottom of the calculator, and these arms engage the respective grooves on the calculator. Bianco '301 describes an electronic organizer attachment that can be secured to a ring binder. The attachment means includes a frame that connects to the outer cover or case of the binder (rather than to the rings), and a slip case that is pivotally connected to the frame. The calculator slides into the slip case. Bianco '239 describes another rotatable binder insert for a calculator or other electronic device. In this case, the insert is generally U-shaped with retention slots arranged along a spine of the insert. The U-shaped device defines a generally rectangular opening for the electronic device, which pivotally mounts onto the arms of the insert by means of grooves or cavities at upper and lower edges of the electronic device. In each of these arrangements, the electronic device has to be one specific size to fit the insert, and the device is held captive within the insert. This reduces flexibility in the use of the device. That is, it is not possible to change the insert to fit a different style of host book, or to replace the insert if it becomes damaged. It is also not possible to use different styles of electronic organizer with the same insert.
Various other notebook organizers have been proposed as well. Bedol U.S. Pat. No. 5,058,736 describes a notebook organizer with a ring attachable insert, in which a calculator, e.g., slides longitudinally in guide ways in the insert, Bedol U.S. Pat. No. 5,205,292 shows another notebook insert for a calculator. That insert contains standard ring holes for attachment to the binder rings, and the calculator is integrally fabricated with the insert. A hole punch is also included on the insert. Jack U.S. Pat. No. 5,186,565 shows a blank insert which slidably mates with a longitudinal pocket in a so-called pocket binder. The pocket binder can be pulled from the blank insert and used independently of the notebook. York U.S. Pat. No. 4,918,632 describes a notebook-mountable computer whose housing that contains a microprocessor, a display, and a keyboard. The computer housing has an upper section that contains openings that fit onto the rings of a ring binder. Nerlinger U.S. Pat. No. 4,430,015 relates to an insert that can be used with wire-bound notebooks, rather than split-ring binders.